Requirements for housing

Space to allow the animal to move, lie down and rise freely
without undue risk of injury

Access to adequate food and water to maintain health and
vigour.

For a housing system to be successful, it must provide for the
spatial and behavioural needs of the cow.

The design of the system and the level of management applied can
affect the health and welfare of the cows, this can have an
influence on ailments such as lameness and mastitis.

Management systems

A number of different management systems have evolved in Great
Britain (GB), these can be categorised into:

Year-round housing (or continuous housing)-cows
are housed indoors throughout the year although heifer replacements
are likely to be grazed at least during their first year. Cows may
have access to an outside loafing area.

Seasonal housing- this is the more traditional
(and still the most common) system where cows are housed during the
autumn and winter (usually when ground conditions dictate), cows
then graze from spring until autumn. Where grazed grass cannot meet
the nutrient needs of the cows, the herd, or herd groups, will be
buffer fed.

Zero-grazing- zero-grazing describes a system
of pasture management. This system is most likely to be used when
grass fields are difficult to access, making it more difficult for
the cows to go out to graze. Instead, fresh grass is cut and fed
indoors.

Grass-based system- grazing predominantly from
early February to late November. Cows will either be housed for the
remainder of the year or if soil type and/or farm layout allow,
they may be outwintered on crops such as fodder beet.

Woodchip pads-unlined, woodchip corrals or
sealed/lined outwintering pads (OWPs), known also as "stand-off"
pads. Woodchip pads are considered to offer an economic means of
wintering animals, reducing or avoiding the need for conventional
housing.

Many of the management systems are not used as stand-alone
systems but are often mixed. The majority of these systems will
still provide covered accommodation for a part of the winter. While
there are some dairy farm systems in GB where no accommodation is
provided, these are likely to remain the minority.

Irrespective of the management system selected, to maximise
performance of the herd, the accommodation must fully provide the
cow's needs.

Any investment in new facilities or improvement of existing
facilities must be financially justified, it is critical that the
system fully complies with the relevant animal welfare legislation,
and requirements of the Red Tractor Farm Assurance Dairy Scheme
(Red Tractor Scheme).